Railway-switch.



N 738,6 38. PATENTED SBPT.8,1'903.

W. K. SMITH.

RAILWAY SWITCH.

APPLIGATION IILED FEB. 11. 1903.

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Patented September 8, 1903.

PATENT OFFICE. I

WITIIQBER KNIGHT SMITH, OF DENVER, COLORADO.

RAILWAY-SWITCH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 738,638, dated September 8, 1903. t

2 Application filed February 11, 1908. Serial No. 142,842. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

tween the rails.

Beitknown thatI, WILBER KNIGHT SMITH, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Denver, in the county of Arapahoe and State of Colorado, have invented a new and Improved Railway-Switch, of which the-following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to improvements in switches for street-railways, the object being to provide in connection with a switch-tongue a simple means whereby the switch may be shifted by the motorman on a car while the car is in motion.

I will describe a railway-switch embodying my invention and then point out the novel features in the appended claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a plan view of a railway-switch mechanism embodying my invention. Fig.- 2 is a section on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1, and Fig. 3 is a plan view showing a modification.

Referring to the drawings, 5 designates a metal platesec'ured to the railway-ties be- This plate has upwardlyextended flanges 6 at its edges and the center portion is somewhat enlarged, as clearly indicated in Fig. 1, or the plate 5 can be done away with, as the plate is notnecessary, and separate guard-rails could be used without any connection with each other. Arranged to slide in this enlarged portion is a plate 7, having an extended portion 8 connecting it to the switchftongue 9, it being observed that the said enlarged portion of the rigid plate 5 constitutes practically a flat base, upon the surface of which the plate 7 may slide evenly and without obstruct-ion, and it will also be observed that the raised parallel side flanges of said enlarged portion may constitute stops for limiting the lateral movements imparted.

to said plate 7 in either direction. On this plate 7 are oppositely-curved ribs 10 11tha't is, the ribs are curved from the centeroutward in both directions. Secured to the plate" 5 or secured to the ties is a rail 12, which passes between the ribs 10 11, and said rail is to be out out on the under side to allow the plate 7 to freely move. As a means for shifting the tongue a device is carried by a car for engaging with the rib 10 or 11 and the rail 12, this latterrail constituting an abutment or resistance for the said device as the latter glides along the side of said rail to move the plate 7 through the intermediary of one or the other of the curved ribs on said plate. The extended portion 8 of the plate 7 is practically a part of said plate and is in direct movable connection with the switchtongue, as shown. As here shown, this device consists of two rollers supported in a frame 13, connected to a truckof the car. The rollers have outwardlybeveled end flanges 14 15, the flange 14 being in an opposite direction to that of the flange 15. The frame 13 is mounted to swing, so that the flange 14 may be placed in operative position to move the switch-tongue in one direction or to place the flange 15 in position to move the switch-tongue in the opposite direction.

In Fig. 3 I have shown a sliding plate 16, having ribs 17 18 similar to the ribs first described, and between these ribs is a stationaryrail 19. The switch-tongue 20 in this modification is formed integral with an extension 21 from the plate 16 and is pivoted at the end of the main rail to the railwaytrack. By the construction shown in this modification the switch-tongue may be operated from a considerable distance, and thus it will engage between the rib 1O and the rail- -12, thus shifting the tongue.

By curving the ribs, as shown, the entrance of the shifting-flange will be insured.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. In a railway-switch, a plateadapted for lateral movement between the main rails, and in operative connection with the switchtongue, said plate being provided on its upper surface with rigid reversely-cu rved longitudinalribs, and a rigid straight rail lying intermediate said ribs independently of the plate.

2. In a railway-switch, a plate'adapted for lateral movement intermediate the main rails, and provided on its upper surface with rigid reversely-curved longitudinal ribs, a fixed straight rail lying intermediate said ribs, independently of the plate, and stop devices beyond the ribs and parallel with' said rail, for limiting the movement of the plate in either direction.

3. In a railway-switch, a plate adapted for lateral movement intermediate the main rails,

and provided with an extension having direct operative connection with the switch tongue, said plate being provided on its upper surfacewith rigid reversely-c'urved longitudinal ribs, a fixed straight rail lying intermediate said ribs,independentl y of said plate,

and outer stops parallel with said intermediate rib for limiting the movement of the plate in either direction.

4. In a railway-switch, a fixed base-plate located intermediate the main rails, and having longitudinal flanges at the side edges thereof, a fixed rail extending parallel with said flanges and intermediate the same, and a plate adapted for lateral movement on said base-plate and beneath said fixed rail, said movement being limited by said flanges, and said plate being provided withan integral extension having direct movable connection with the switch-tongue.

5. In a railway-switch, a fixed base-plate, having raised parallel flanges at the lon gitudinal edges thereof, and having an enlarged portion in a part of its length, said portion also having parallel flanges at its longitudinal edges, located beyond the flanges first named, a plate slidable on said enlarged por-. tion between the flanges thereof, and provided on its upper surface with rigid reversely-curved ribs, said plate having an integral extension in direct operative connection with the switch tongue, and a fixed straight rail located -intermediate said ribs independently of the plate, substantially as shown and'for the purpose described.

6. In a railway-switch, a fixed base-plate, having raised parallel flanges, and having an enlarged portion in a part of its length, a plate slidable on said enlarged portion, and provided on its upper surface with rigid ribs disposed at an angle to each other, said plate having an integral extension in direct operative connection with the switch-tongue, and a fixed straight rail located intermediate said ribs independently of the plate.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

WILBER KNIGHT SMITH. 

